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Fighting the Boob, NEED HELP!

I have a 6 week old little boy, who I am trying to ween off his supplimental formula and back onto breast milk exclusively. However, about 2-4 times a day minimum, he wigs out and does not want the boob, he's hungry, he'll take a bottle; yet he will latch and then let go. Back story: He was probably 2 weeks and a few days when I was forced to put him on the formula. He started getting 1oz, 12 times a day. He is down to 2-6oz a day, we started with the seringe/pinky feeder, then to bottles, now we use the special boob like bottles. I have worked with a lactation consultant already and because his weight is good she no longer needs to see us. At this point I'm getting very discouraged because he is starting to fight the boob more and more and my instinct is to give him the bottle because he's hungry. I pump, but I would prefer to only need to pump for occasions, not keep doing it because he's bottle crazy. The fighting weighs on my heart, all I want to do is breastfeed. How do I get him to stop fighting? Also, I try swaddling him while feeding, or covering him "closet feed" style, I use the clutch position and try switching to the cross craddle to see if it helps. Sometimes he gives up and falls a sleep. HELP!

Re: Fighting the Boob, NEED HELP!

try laid back positioning. This position puts baby in a more biologically natural mammalian nursing position-basically, on his front rather than on his back or side. (plus it is more comfortable for mom) Sometimes what looks like breastr fighting is actually normal kneading behavior that turns into flailing when the breast is not where it ‘should be.’

Note-the picture shows the mom very laid back, on pillows in a bed. this is fine but not necessary, you can be just slightly leaned back, for example, in 'couch potato' position. Baby can be in ANY position that brings him to the breast. http://www.llli.org/docs/00000000000...astfeeding.pdf

(You could also try side-lying but that is a different position. Basically, try anything you think might help.)

This suggestion is probably in the excellent article mommal linked, but also, it is very important to nurse very frequently. Offer at the earliest cues or do not wait for any cues. Offer the breast well before baby gets hungry or frantic. A calm baby latches and nurses better. http://www.llli.org/docs/00000000000...eding_cues.pdf

Instant reward as described in the kellymom article might work well in this situation as well.

As long as baby is gaining appropriately, I strongly suggest that you resist the urge to supplement. If your baby can nurse well enough some of there time, he can nurse well enough all of the time. This does not mean every feeding session is a calm restful breeze. that is not reality. Babies fuss frequently and often do some of this fussing when feeding no matter how they are fed.

Re: Fighting the Boob, NEED HELP!

Well, I have worked with both positions and he still screams when offered the breast. He'll take it momentarilty and then reject. He just screams... The trying from the top was really difficult for him. I tried giving him some bottle, then the boob after it "took the edge off," nope, REJECTED.

Re: Fighting the Boob, NEED HELP!

I am sorry you feel your baby is rejecting you. I can only assure you that is not the case.
From what u describe your baby is having trouble latching which your LC certainly should have helped you with. If you cannot find hands on assistance who will help you get baby nursing again, or even if you can, think about this-it took time for your baby to learn not to nurse. It is going to take even more time and Patience to help baby learn to nurse again. While of course nothing works 100 percent of the time, what has been suggested by mommal and myself and in the kellymom article are all things that often do work. But sometimes things have to be tried several times and tweaked for the individual situation. You sound very frustrated which is very understandable! Are there any LLL groups or other breast feeding support groups in your area?

Re: Fighting the Boob, NEED HELP!

A shield might help, too. They come with risks, like slower milk transfer and reduced supply, but at this point I'd take that risk in order to keep the baby at the breast. If he's having trouble transferring milk with a shield, you could make up for that with the pump.

Sorry you are having such a rough time, mama! You're doing a great job, though. Really! I know it's hard to remember that in the moment, though.

Re: Fighting the Boob, NEED HELP!

i agree, if the shield works, do it, anything getting baby on the breast is a step in the right direction.

Also I was just forwarded this link today-a very simple latch pictorial that I think might be helpful for anyone struggling with latch issues. http://cwgenna.com/quickhelp.html click on ‘latch help’ or just scroll down past the tongue tie info.

Will baby latch at all? if 'slow' flow is part of the problem, what about supplementing baby on the breast? You could try the tube you used for finger feeding. Also with my oldest who had breast refusal on one side and great difficulty latching at all, i used a nipple shield and slipped some milk under it with a narrow curved syringe which gave baby instant reward. I have seen shields used with at the breast feeders similarly.

If none of that works, I just remembered seeing someone who was working to bring her adopted baby to the breast using an actual bottle nipple which she threaded a tube through with a tweezers and then held over her breast to get baby feeding with babies face/mouth very near the breast in a 'breastfeeding' position, more or less skin to skin, as a transitional technique. She had brought two other adopted babies to the breast using some form of this gradual technique.